Auto Industry

Chris Welsh, Esq. www.welsh-law.com The family of a cyclist fatally struck by truck in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood was awarded $4 million by a San Francisco Superior court jury last month. On August 14, 2013, Amelie Le Moullac, 24, was commuting to work when she was struck and killed by big-rig driver Gilberto Alcantar. Her tragic death was a point of much contention and emotion in a city where bicycling as a mode of transportation has nearly doubled in the last decade. Following the incident, the San Francisco Police Department was criticized for its handling of the investigation …

Chris Welsh, Esq. www.welsh-law.com Driving near a school bus requires extra caution and attention. Buses make frequent stops to let off passengers who are often of an age group that doesn’t always pay attention and who are tough to see beyond your vehicle. Unsurprisingly, crashes and accidents related to school buses often occur between 7-8 am and 3-4 pm. Accidents can be the perfect storm of distracted driving and vision obstruction. Safe driving near school buses can be achieved by following a few simple steps: Pay attention! Be aware of where the bus is traveling and leave extra space for …

Christopher Welsh, Esq. www.welsh-law.com Later this year, Congress will consider a proposal to lengthen tractor trailers by five feet, an expansion that will at 18 percent volume for cargo. Proponents of the change claim this is a wise move for industry efficiency and safety–but this could not be further from the truth. They argue that Congress should back off restricting the size of trucks because the industry has “adopted significant safety upgrades,” but cannot also fulfill the delivery demands of 9 million people with just 28-foot trailers. They argue that bigger trucks will increase truck driving stability, decrease traffic congestion, and bring …

Christopher Nace, Esq. The government will fine Honda $70 million for its failure to report warranty and customer dissatisfaction claims and over 1,700 complaints that its vehicles caused deaths and injuries between 2003 and 2014. The automaker allegedly waited three years before disclosing safety problems and complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”). In response, the agency has imposed the $70 million fine, which is reportedly the highest Honda has ever faced, and notified the Justice Department. Congress limits fines to $35 million, but Honda will have to pay double because it was fined twice for separate issues–once for …

Chris Welsh, Esq. www.welsh-law.com The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) demands that Honda pay $70 million for failing to report consumer warranty claims and over 1,700 claims of death and injury through the Early Warning Reporting system, “EWR.” Although Honda will pay, it has defended that failure to report was due to a data entry glitch. The automaker reportedly learned of the glitch from an NHTSA investigation in late 2011. Fast forward to three years later, Honda still had not corrected the error. While much of the blame right now is directed at Honda, others criticize that the issue …